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WSCA Leadership Conference
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KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

JULIA COOK
Julia Cook, MS is a national award-winning children's author, counselor and parenting expert.
She has presented in over 3,000 schools across the country and abroad, regularly delivers keynote addresses at national education and counseling conferences, and has published over 130 children’s books. The goal behind all of Julia's books and efforts is to actively involve young people into her fun and creative stories and teach them to become life-long problem solvers. Inspiration for her books and activities comes from working with children and carefully listening to parents and teachers.

“In order to teach children, you must enter their view of the world!” – Julia Cook
DR. CARMEN LARSON
Dr. Larson, 2025 School Counselor of the Year®, is a nationally recognized leader in the field.
Dr. Larson is an award-winning school counselor and adjunct professor who brings passion, innovation and more than two decades of experience to supporting students at the elementary, middle and high school levels. A Certified Animal-Assisted Intervention Specialist (C-AAIS), Dr. Larson integrates creative interventions into her practice, including play media and canine-assisted interventions. She works alongside her beloved therapy dog, Winston, using his calming presence to foster emotional well-being in students.

Dr. Larson earned her Ph.D. in counselor education and supervision from the University of Florida in 2004 and has since become a trailblazer in the field. Her expertise includes advocacy efforts at the state and local levels, ethical and legal considerations in school counseling, artistry in practice and using technology to enhance data-informed practices. As a dedicated leader in school counseling, Dr. Larson served as a board member of the Florida School Counselor Association for more than a decade, including two terms as chair of the Board of Directors (2015–2016, 2022–2023). She also served nationally as the ASCA SCA Advisory Committee chair (2023–2024).

A sought-after speaker, Dr. Larson has presented at numerous local, regional and national conferences, delivering engaging, practical and humor-filled sessions that leave audiences both informed and inspired. Whether tackling serious topics or sharing real-world school counseling insights, she brings warmth, relatability and a deep passion for supporting students and fellow counselors.
DR. CAROLYN STONE
Dr. Stone is a Professor Emeritus of Counselor Educator at the University of North Florida. 
Dr. Stone was the 2006 President of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) and served as ASCAs Ethics Chair for twenty years.  Dr. Stone chaired the last four revisions of the ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors and wrote 100 legal and ethical columns for ASCA’s SchoolCounselor.  Dr. Stone was awarded ASCA’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010, the Florida School Counselor Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012, and UNF Distinguished Professor Award in 2016.  She has provided keynote addresses and workshops for all 50 state school counseling associations and presented approximately 840 presentations (700 of which were legal and ethical issues for school counselors) to international/national/state conferences and school districts.  She has completed dozens of webinars for ASCA. Dr. Stone has authored the only legal and ethical book exclusively for school counselors, currently in its fifth edition.  Prior to becoming a counselor educator in 1995, Dr. Stone spent 22 years with the Duval County Public Schools in Jacksonville, Florida where she served 239 school counselors as their district level supervisor and was an elementary and high school counselor and middle school teacher. 
Clock hours will be granted to conference participants.